Moon of Melancholy
by button.by.button
Summary: One night a young vampire girl stumbles upon Ichijou Takuma's birthday by surprise. Already holding a mysterious air, her secrecy deepens as she enrolls in Cross Academy. What she holds only few know...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer : **Vampire Knight does not belong to me, although that would be lovely if it did. Credit is for Matsuri Hino, and for her alone. Other than that, please enjoy my own OC's and their storyline in this fanfiction series! :D

1. Arrivals

It was a quiet night, the long cobblestone road scattered randomly with creatures of stunning characteristics. An air of elegance and sophistication surrounded the creatures as they padded in pairs and singles down the open stretch, heading toward the gentle glow up ahead. There were exchanged words, soft chatter brushing the air, but their voices reaching no higher than a whisper, the atmosphere continued to remain as a soft hush.

Elegant cut dresses whispered quietly along the paved path as young women with striking features were led towards the center, accompanied by men equally attractive. The females- their hair down up in tasteful decoration, faces painted expertly to expose delicate bone features -were breath-taking. The men, thrown into sharp cut suits of their school's uniform, looked fashionable as well, and although not as extravagant as the ladies, they too posed a beautiful sight.

Any viewer exposed to such a scene would have been awe-struck, left breathless by their beauty. But here everyone was the same – although their features varied greatly due to the influence of a widespread gene pool, everyone present retained a striking loveliness that would have put any mortal noble to shame.

Here, everyone was a vampire.

As the quiet gathering continued to draw out, couples still arriving down the open stretch, a twig suddenly snapped. A moment later another crack sounded, followed by another, then another. Soon the area was filled with the cacophony of sharp cracks and sudden breaks as branches groaned and leaves fluttered wildly in the air. Birds fled to the sky in a rush of wings and the vampires passing by shifted, disturbed by the sudden distraction, the beautiful atmosphere broken. Then without warning a young girl appeared from a clutter of broken bushes, stumbling blindly into the open road and collapsing into a soft heap to the ground.

She gave a surprised cry, followed by a small whimper of pain as she grazed hands and knees into the rough gravel, scraping pale skin against the ground. Recovering from their daze, the vampires gave her distasteful looks as they passed, refusing to lend any aid to the girl as she tried to regain her balance. Still on her hands and knees, the girl seemed unaware of the attention she had drawn, her gaze kept carefully to the cobblestone road, until a loud and extravagant voice sounded across the courtyard, echoing confidently across the road, and her eyes shot up, startled.

"Oh-ho!" It cried excitedly and before she knew it the ground was disappearing in a dizzying whirl as arms swept down and retrieved from the soil. The hands continued to grip her as she was brought firmly against its body, its voice - distinctly male - whispering down her neck in a warm line. There was an unsuppressed edge of excitement to the voice as he began to speak. "Look who decided to attend Ichijou-sama's party!" Fangs pressed against the line of her neck as the person smiled. "Mitsuki," he breathed softly.

Involuntarily, Mitsuki felt herself shiver at the intimate whisper. Then, blushing brightly, she tore herself from the embrace and faced the being, a foolish-grinning Aidou greeting her. Her face was contorted into an expression of livid embarrassment and slight humiliation. Mitsuki was a shy young thing.

Now here she stood trying to speak, the words jumbled and tumbling clumsily out of her mouth as her shy nature started to get the best of her. "A –Aidou! How…How could you -!" She stopped abruptly, suddenly aware of the pair of eyes staring at her. Mitsuki looked hastily about and then squirmed in place. The onlooking vampires, frowning at her improper etiquette and failure at completing a proper sentence, didn't help her current situation, and her eyes darted quickly to the ground, ashamed.

Aidou waved a hand incessantly in front of him, shaking his head with a half smile. Unlike Mitsuki, he was perfectly comfortable with the crowd she had drawn. He liked attention.

"Mitsuki, Mitsuki," he chided in an almost tired voice, which drew more eyes to the scene, and he peeked up at her from beneath long lacy-dark lashes. "You were always such a timid thing. Come," and he swept out a hand gracefully toward her, "allow me to escort you to someone dear to you." Aidou was suddenly behind her, just as close as he had been earlier. Quickly, quietly, he led her forth, easing past vampires and barely disturbing the atmosphere that Mitsuki had upset moments ago.

Aidou sped through the court with swift grace, protecting Mitsuki from doing any more damage. They began to near the middle of the pavilion, a soft light emanating from the main attraction, and Aidou felt her footsteps – once uneasy and uncertain – quicken with eagerness. Mitsuki knew who was waiting there, a breath held tight in her chest as they finally drew just outside a ring of light. The middle was empty save for an elegantly furnished table with a soft white cloth draped over it, adorned with beautiful utensils and an amazingly designed, three-tier cake. Beside it, his back to her, stood a young male, his baby-soft blond hair twinkling in the dim light.

"Onii –sama," she whispered as the two arrived in the middle, slowing just before they reached the man. Releasing her, Aidou stepped back, back into the crowd, and Mitsuki began her way forward.

Catching her quiet words even in the crowd filled night, the fair, blond haired man turned slightly and smiled at her approach. He was incredibly handsome and his soft green eyes gazed adoringly at her as she rushed forward into his embracing arms.

The cheery voice she remembered from years ago met her ears once more. "Mitsuki – you've finally arrived!" he exclaimed, combing a hand through her ink-black strands. He bent his lips toward her and brushed them against her brow, Mitsuki closing her eyes at the affectionate touch. When she felt him pull back Mitsuki opened her eyes, blinking softly, and felt her throat tighten as a well of emotions began. He hadn't aged at all since she'd last seen him, even though a year and a half had passed between the two.

Although he waited for a reply with considerate patience, Mitsuki, too overcome, found it nearly impossible to speak, tears appearing in her eyes. "Hello..."she finally whispered and pecked him softly on the cheek. "Happy Birthday, Ichijou onii-sama."

Ichijou smiled and wiped away the mound of tears beginning in her lovely eyes with the pad of his thumbs, and then hugged her close once more. "Mitsuki."

They were cousins. First cousins, actually, and each held one another dearly. After all, it was Ichijou who had turned her, Mitsuki Amamiya, into a vampire.

Their silent and deep adoration for one another was soon broken as Aidou appeared without warning behind Mitsuki, throwing his arms about her waist and tugging her snugly to him. "Pretty girl," he mused, then spotted Ichijou, who, having Mitsuki ripped from his arms, stood to the side mildly perplexed.

Immediately, Aidou's voice rang across the courtyard with all its brilliance. "Isn't she adorable!" he exclaimed, holding her slim figure close and nestling his chin into her lightly perfumed skin. "She has grown up since last we saw her, hasn't she, Ichijou-san?" Before Ichijou could reply to the question that had been asked at such an outrageous level of exuberance, Aidou reached up with one hand and turned Mitsuki's face towards him. They became extremely close, almost too close, and Mitsuki fought to keep the color from rising to her cheeks.

"Mitsuki, there is someone else wanting to see you," he informed gently in her ear and she suddenly noticed all trace of mockery and wit had disappeared from his countenance. She now stared into eyes that were severely solemn, ones that held grave importance and anxiousness. Startled at the change in Aidou's character Mitsuki nodded, though turned her eyes to stare at Ichiou. Parting - and so quickly? Her reunion with Ichijou had been too swift and it left her mildly distraught. Even from Aidou - she had been absent from him as long as her cousin.

Aidou looked over Mitsuki's shoulder and caught Ichijou's eye. The two had a moment to exchange a look of understanding, Ichijou loosing a bit of light in his eyes, and then Aidou was offering Mitsuki his hand once more. "It is a bit of a way," he explained and nodded in the direction he was going to take her. It was farther up ahead and in the way stood a crowd filled road of vampires. "Let me see that hand of yours or you might end up tripping again." And Aidou winked, flashing her a playful smile as he regained his natural personality.

Despite the encouragement, Mitsuki hesitated at the awaiting hand, fingers pressed to her bottom lip in uncertainty. Her eyes flickered toward her cousin, as if seeking his advice.

Aware of her reluctance, Ichijou pressed forward in an attempt to reassure her. "Let Aidou guide you, Mitsuki, everything will be fine," Ichijou urged. "I'm not going anywhere. We may have our time together soon."

He smiled lightly and, comforted at her cousin's words, Mitsuki allowed her hand to be taken, only glancing behind her shoulder to show her mild unease as Aidou led her away.

As Ichijou watched them vanish into the crowd, he let out a heavy sigh, turning back to the table and resuming the activity he had begun before Mitsuki's arrival. He picked up a long silver knife to the side, delicate tracings decorating the handle prettily. Later, he thought as he ran a thumb nimbly along the sharp blade, there is always another time to discuss matters later.

His gem-like eyes narrowed a notch, for he was well aware of who was waiting for her farther up ahead. "I just hope it does not traumatize her," he murmured softly and began to slice the sweet confection.

[***]

Aidou held Mitsuki firmly as they passed by neighboring vampires, the crowd parting easily before them in a spill of elegant dresses and the light scuff of shoes as they arrived upon a shadowed dais. A round of lights flickered dimly, lighting the area and casting faint shadows to dance about the platform. While the lights continued to illuminate the area, Mitsuki noticed that it never touched the inside of the deck, almost like it were purposefully being held away by some mysterious force.

Mitsuki was given no time to inspect the sight further as Aidou suddenly bowed low beside her and addressed the silhouetted figure with proper conduct. "Kaname-sama," he said and he felt Mitsuki tighten instantly in his arm, "she's here. I've brought her." He pushed gently at the small of her back, then edged silently away to stand off to the side. Aidou's face was unreadable as he stood beneath the dais roof, shoulders straightened at attention.

"Kaname…senpai…?" Her eyes went wide with disbelief and Mitsuki tried desperately in that moment to keep her emotions under control. Unlike what she had felt earlier for Ichijou, these emotions cut her deeper, targeted another level of her heart, and it took everything within her to take a step forward and bow politely.

"Kaname-senpai," she repeated, trying to regulate a neutral tone in her voice, but as she straightened a hand waved out before her and the candles suddenly flared to life.

A lean figure appeared from the shadows, long…handsome…beguiling. His mahogany colored eyes burned through her as he rearranged himself on the cushions, one hand loosening the buttons of his shirt and allowing the cool night air to kiss softly at his marbled chest. He had an arm stretched along the back of the couch, slightly encircled about a figure sitting beside him, but Mitsuki, riveted by the sight before her, didn't appear to notice the second presence. The reassurance she had gained seconds ago seemed to crumble about her as Kaname motioned her forward with a graceful beckoning of fingers.

"Mitsuki," and the words forced her to take a step forward, a pull that sent her up the stairs, across the deck, and before the Pureblood who lounged patiently on the furbished couch.

His hand still outstretched, Mitsuki cradled it between her own and, as tradition required of all vampires below the status of a Pureblood, bent forward and kissed the pale hand. "Kaname-senpai, it's nice to see you again," she murmured quietly, then pulled away, retreating back a pace.

"Formal as always, Mitsuki," he replied cordially and dropped his hand back into his lap. She noticed the pause he took, as if he were remembering something, and Mitsuki made an effort to keep her gaze from wavering under his own intimidating stare as she replied.

"It is as you have always known me," she spoke softly, then winced at her own words. No, she didn't want to have to think of her past now. Mitsuki opened her mouth to speak, but Kaname waved her down, dismissing the attempt, and motioned to the figure that sat silently beside him.

"Mitsuki," he began, "I know it is still early since your arrival, but have you met Yuuki yet?" Mitsuki stared at the young female beside him, dressed apparently in her school uniform, an outfit that separated her from the rest and –Mitsuki sniffed the air delicately –symbolized her existence as a human.

She had an innocent air about her, defiant but honest, her dark doe-brown eyes staring back at Mitsuki with curious inquiry.

"Nice to meet you," Yuuki said, inclining her head in Mitsuki's direction. A sincere smile accompanied the greeting, which made Mitsuki's eyes widen, startled by the girl's honesty.

Kaname finished the rest of the introduction. "She is the Day Class's Prefect at Cross Academy. Yuuki," and Mitsuki did not miss the fond glance he gave to the young girl, "is someone very special at this school."

Though the expression was suppressed, Yuuki appeared pleased by the favored indication as she managed a slight smile."Kaname…" Yuuki's eyes flickered momentarily to the side. "Kaname-sama…" She seemed like she wanted to say more but a gruff sound of displeasure, full of contempt and impatience, interrupted her and simultaneously Yuuki and Mitsuki turned at the same time. Kaname's expression hardened at the distraction, his voice bitter as he added coldly, "And that is Zero Kiryuun, the other Prefect and Yuuki's partner."

Noticing the distasteful tone that matched his own ire mood, Zero whipped his head up sharply, turning a pair of silver eyes that burned coldly in the dim light. "Yuuki," he said stiffly, and jerked his head to the side to reveal his impatience. "There are other matters to look into other than _sitting_." Mitsuki shifted uncomfortably at the cruel emphasis he put on the last word. "It's time to go. Time to leave."

Before any could reply Zero stalked toward the end of the porch and hopped nimbly from the edge, every action stiff and angry. He was halfway across the road and would have made it to the end, but Kaname's voice, which rang clearly from the porch, halted his footsteps. Kaname was now standing and indicating Yuuki, who had lapsed into an odd silence from Zero's initial anger, her body stiffened anxiously.

"Yuuki will leave when she wants," Kaname called in a cool voice, his manners in check, then he swung his hand toward Mitsuki as Zero twirled around. "And you have not greeted my guest here. That is quite rude, don't you think?"

Yuuki shot to her feet the moment she saw Zero's face darken, hastening before Kaname with widened arms in an attempt to appeal him. "Kaname-senpai!"

At the same time Mitsuki, unnerved by the tense atmosphere, shifted beside the Pureblood and caught his arm. She feared that the contempt between the two males stretched farther than the indecency to acknowledge a formal introduction. "There's no need to start something so foolish," she began hastily, "We can be introduced to one another next time…!" As Zero approached the deck, Mitsuki felt Kaname stiffen beneath her touch and she tightened her hold on his arm.

Zero threw another hostile glare in the direction of the Pureblood as he neared, and almost instantly the tension between the two seemed to intensify tenfold. Mitsuki recoiled at the animosity emanating between the two, ripping back her hands as if she'd just been shocked by the mere touch of Kaname's skin.

"Zero…" someone called softly and the voice full of concern and unspoken sadness drew Zero's attention away from Kaname to look at Yuuki, standing unobtrusively to the side. The expression on her face forced Zero to lose his previous aggression, submitting beneath the unsaid distraught expressed from his partner's quivering figure.

She repeated his name again, and avoiding his gaze from the awaiting Pureblood, Zero swiveled around, unspeaking. "Yuuki, we're leaving. Now."

Relieved by his calm submission, Yuuki hastened to the male Prefect's side, throwing Kaname and Mitsuki an apologetic look as she leapt from the dais. "Excuse us," she said, bowing, then motioned to Zero as she began to depart.

The atmosphere seemed to lighten as the two took their leave, then –

"You won't even acknowledge her."

Mitsuki's eyes raised to Kaname as he spoke, her violet orbs widening in frightening realization. He was addressing her, not Yuuki. Mitsuki's heart clenched momentarily, fearing what he was going to say next.

"Do you even know who she is?" he demanded softly. There was a notable threat in his voice, the velvet whisper holding an edge of warning. He started forward, a hand clenched beside him while the other was flung out to point at Mitsuki. "This girl is -!"

Mitsuki started instantly, jerking her head toward Kaname.

"Is"...? No. No! That was wrong! Not _"is"_ but _"was"_.

Tormented by his words and at the memories that were now beginning to flash in front of her, Mitsuki gasped loudly and moved forward, clasping him about the waist and driving him a desperate step back. "Ka –Kaname-senpai! Please –no! We don't have to bring that up!" Mitsuki buried her face into the crook of his shoulder, trembling when she felt him take a step forward. "No, don't!" she cried when she saw him start to protest. "Don't say anything."

Stricken by her reaction, Kaname tried once more to speak, detangling himself gently from her grasp as he did so, but when she looked up - Kaname encountering a gaze filled with such silent plea and desperate anguish - he halted. "Don't…don't tell them," she continued to whisper, then buried her face once more and began to cry, tears staining the edge of his silky black coat.

At the foot of the porch Aidou, along with the rest of his fellow companions, stared, shock and appall filling the area as eyes flicked from the vampires at the top and the Prefects still standing at the floor. The scene had not gone unnoticed, their attentions caught the moment Zero had jumped from the dais. Now the whole party faced them, mouths agape in astonishment.

Those who deeply admired Kaname only had eyes for him and the curse-filled girl who now gripped him in a desperate embrace. Who would do that? Who would dare do that? Among them stood a beautiful blond vampire, seething as she glared fiercely at the couple. "Why…she…!" Her features contorted into something horrifying as a snarl of detest issued from her throat. A sudden violent twitch ran through her and the glass shattered instantly into a thousand crystals. "How dare she -!"

She took a step forward, but a hand halted her advancement, gripping her shoulder in a firm hold. "Ruka." The patient tone infuriated the female as she whipped her head vehemently toward the male standing behind her.

Angrily, she struggled in his hold. "Kain! Please. Let me go!"

Kain yanked her back when she tried to move and embraced her more securely. "Leave it alone," he whispered in her ear, and pressure of his hands seemed to jostle her senses back into place as Ruka finally settled. Still she was unable to prevent her eyes from searing angrily at the girl in Kaname's arms.

At the pavilion, Mitsuki was now blind with tears. "Don't…" She shuddered, her shoulders heaving beneath the uneven gasps. "Don't…please don't…"

Kaname gazed at her in silence, then gently he pushed her away. "Mitsuki…" he breathed. She looked up and her eyes widened as he brought up a hand and placed it softly against her purple irises. "Calm down now." He wrapped an arm around her waist just as her body suddenly slumped in his grasp: she was unconscious. Kaname gave her one last look before gazing at the scene.

"Aidou," he called and the blond appeared instantly, skipping up the stairs and taking them by the twos'. "Take her to my dorm," Kaname ordered, ignoring the wave of bewildered stares that gaped at him in silent shock. He exhaled quietly, as if trying to calm the deep recesses of his troubled mind, then, sharply, threw his gaze toward the crowd. Though he stared at a gathering of more than one hundred students, his eyes appeared to be addressing each individual vampire, mahogany orbs burning with power and possession. Immediately, the intent murmuring that had been drifting earlier between the students ceased.

Aidou came obediently forward in the sudden silence, his arms held out. "Yes, sir."

Withdrawing his attention from the crowd Kaname began to transfer Mitsuki to Aidou when he paused mid-transaction. He gazed at the unconscious girl for a moment, slowly grazing a finger across her cheek, stroking strands of misplaced hair back to their place. Then something caught his eye and in one swift movement he swept away the item that had caught his attention, an index finger sweeping beneath one of her eyes. Aidou, dumb found by the swiftness and smoothness of Kaname's execution, was left standing with Mitsuki in his arms. Then the noble blood remembered himself and giving a swift bow, he retreated down the stairs, ignoring his fellow classmates as they swept apart for him.

At the dais Kaname remained staring at the single tear he had stolen from Mitsuki, watching as it trembled at the edge of his finger in momentary fascination. Then, his eyes hardening ever so slightly, the Pureblood flipped over his finger and let it splash to the floor, watching it disappear until the last of it seeped into the wooden plates. With an expression of strange disconnect Kaname turned just in time to spot Aidou's hair wink into nonexistent, Mitsuki, somewhere in his arms.

Would he always continue to cause her pain?

[***]

"You're so lucky…to know that he loves you this much…"

These words ringing with a strange sense of irony that was unknown to the noble blood, Aidou, who was referring to his own self-adoration for the Pureblood, set Mitsuki upon the plush bed with a glum down pull in his lips. He would have never - _never_ - been allowed to touch Kaname as Mitsuki had done tonight.

As he began to arrange her more comfortably on the mattress Aidou, despite his neglect for attention, felt no ill will towards Mitsuki. Odd as it was, his eyes roaming up and down her gentle breathing figure, Aidou held concern for the girl. How long had she been away? And why had she reacted the way she did when Kaname had begun to mention her significance? He frowned slightly. He had never seen Mitsuki react that way before. Puzzled, he reached out absentmindedly to fondle a couple strands of her hair, distracted by his thoughts, when her eyes shot open.

Her reaction was instant as she lurched up violently in bed, hands flying out in frantic appeal as she tried to grasp at something Aidou couldn't see. "Kaname-senpai! Don't!" Her eyes were glazed with a feverish heat, large and unfocused, and the high shrill of her voice pierced the room, sending a cold, unwelcomed shiver down Aidou's spine.

His eyes widened, stunned at her sudden reaction. "Mitsuki..." he began uncertainly.

But she didn't hear him. "Kaname-senpai! Kanamei-senpai, please! Don't tell them anything! _Kaname-senpai!_" Her voice was wild with hysterics, the emotion throwing her into a wash of violent tears and shuddering breaths as Mitsuki bent over and began to weep uncontrollably, hands wrapped about her own shoulders in a weak attempt of comfort.

Afraid that she had been tormented by some terrible nightmare, Aidou moved to help in concern. "Mitsuki!" he called, half shouting. "Mitsuki, what's wrong?" Aidou grabbed the troubled vampire girl by the shoulders and shook her firmly. "What _happened_?" His hands ran quickly across her face, trying to calm her, pushing strands of her hair away, stroking her cheek softly.

Mitsuki, as if regaining slight control of herself, took his hand in hers and clenched. Naturally a male vampire was stronger than a female but the force of Mitsuki's grip was frightening. It trembled with such strength that her whole body shook; he suddenly pulled her into him, wrapping her in both arms. He felt her grip his shirt tightly in both hands, still trembling.

"Don't tell them," she whispered, and her voice was heavy with suffering. She buried her face into his chest and he had to strain himself to hear what she said next. "Please don't tell them about our secret... No one can know what happened..."

* * *

**A/N : **Mitsuki is a mysertious character, no? I understand this beginning part might have been a bit confusing, but the later chapters will eventually reveal the main plot. Please be patient till then! :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer : **Of course like the rest of the authors out there, I do not own Vampire Knight. All credit is aimed toward Matsuri Hino.

* * *

2. Reverie

In the far back corridors of the Moon dormitory, located in the upper chambers of the vast building, sat a lone figure. The stranger fidgeted restlessly in his seat as he tried for the umpteenth time to find a comfortable position in the too-small couch. Murmuring incoherently beneath his breath, the form struggled against the lounge cushion for a moment longer before finally finding a tolerable position.

With his legs clutched tightly to his chest, he drew his hands up to rest on his knees, then fell quiet, brooding silently with dark cobalt eyes the other figure laying on the bed across from him. In any other situation the figure's eyes would have twinkled a vibrant and mischievous blue. In any other situation he would have responded with impish smiles and quick-witted jests at his comrade's response, if she were awake.

In any other situation Aidou Hanasuba would have been much livelier than this, instead of the gloomy and unhappy character who sat mulling over the situation in front of him.

For two days straight, Mitsuki, who on arrival had thrown herself into such a state of emotional despair that it had left her unconscious, had not stirred once on the bed, her deep and even breathing the only thing reassuring Aidou she was still alive. A feeling he was rare to succumb to, Mitsuki's traumatic event had left Aidou concerned over her condition, leaving her to rest while Aidou kept a careful eye on her.

Aidou had not left her side since then, only chancing to remove himself from the room to relieve himself of natural causes and snatch some pills from the shelves to wane his continuous hunger. Then he would dash down the hall –actually, glide very swiftly, for vampires were not capable of such an ungainly gait –only to find her in the same position he had left her in.

Neither Kaname nor Ichijou had appeared since then. Aidou figured Ichijou was busy, although he found the expanse of time the noble blood left Mitsuki unattended an odd occurrence. From what he could remember of their childhood, Aidou was aware that even at a young age, Ichijou had rarely left Mitsuki by herself. The reason for his absence must have been important.

Kaname's lack of presence, although more understandable, was a slight shock to Aidou as well. After all, the room they were currently in belonged to his Dorm Leader. Purebloods, even of Kaname's standard, had to rest some time of the day, right? Aidou chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully before turning to look at Mitsuki. He started to narrow his eyes, trying intently for a moment to concentrate, but instead found himself yawning loudly.

Although he found it little hassle to watch Mitsuki, the past days had been draining for Aidou. The two days of non-stop, ever watchful shifts left him physically exhausted, despite a vampire's enhanced characteristic to stay up and more vigorously roused than humans. Multiple times Aidou noticed himself dozing off, his head nodding to some untimed beat, then he would jerk awake violently, blue eyes snapping open in the darkly penetrated room.

The ideal was quite tiresome.

Besides the idea of keeping watch over Mitsuki, Aidou's own personal troubles kept him conscious. Being an avid collector of miscellaneous items Aidou found it terribly difficult to restrain himself from launching from his chair and throwing himself into the items that surrounded him. And what was worse –they all belonged to his beloved Dorm Leader! _Him_ –Kaname Kuran! Aidou squirmed anxiously in his chair, trying to ignore the temptations as he fought to keep his hands in his lap, though his fingers itched to reach out and touch the loose tassel that he had noticed for the last half hour dangle just inches away from him.

How had this happen?

After making the solid conclusion that he would take care of Mitsuki, Aidou, who was not a vampire fond of enclosed spaces, had thrown back the elegant curtains the minute he had entered and opened up the side windows, allowing a small breeze to pass through. Not the best of his ideas, for on a particular night a measurable sized gale had torn maddeningly about the room, throwing up loose sheets of papers and catapulting twigs and various sized stones at Aidou, who had later begrudgingly patted his hair back into place and cleaned up the debris with a spare brush and duster he had found in a side closet, all the while rubbing his temple where a stray pebble had smacked him with considerable force during the furious gust. After having tossed the mess out through the window, Aidou had looked up and spotted a stray burgundy colored piece of string that hung from one of Kaname's drapes. It had hovered in front of him, loosened from the strength of the receding storm. Like a child attracted to a shiny new toy, Aidou's eyes had never left that piece of string, always staring at it with avid fascination and intent determination.

He wanted that string, but what happened if Kaname caught him ogling at something so meaningless? So...stupid?

Noticing it now, Aidou buried his lips within his hands and closed his eyes. "No, no, no," he muttered to himself softly. "Kaname-sama will notice if I take it."

His little chant was cut short as something heavy suddenly rested on his shoulder. Aidou looked up, avoiding his gaze from the string with extreme care, and his eyes widened. "What will I notice?" Kaname's voice asked from the darkness, and his wine-red eyes seeped from the inky black room as the Pureblood drew into sight.

Aidou started in his chair at the Pureblood's close contact. "Kaname-sama!" What a surprise! He had not even noticed his Dorm Leader's presence till now. Still stunned by his leader's entrance, Aidou began to motion frantically about him, searching feverishly for a good excuse. "I was watching –Mitsuki, she's still asleep! But then there was a-!"

Kaname stood still beside him, listening in silence to Aidou's incessant blabbering. He watched with careful eyes, occasionally noticing the blond vampire point animatedly at the thread floating softly beside him. Ah, Kaname thought. Without speaking and now politely ignoring Aidou's rattle, Kaname moved toward a nearby desk, opening a drawer and retrieving out a pair of scissors.

" –wind blew in!" Aidou continued to exclaim, still oblivious to the fact that his Dorm Leader wasn't listening, and he flung his arms out suddenly, motioning wildly in the air. Kaname padded past Aidou, carefully maneuvering about the chair so as not to get hit, and stepped toward his drapes, while reaching out a hand. "And I'm so tired!" Aidou added with an exasperated sigh, allowing a bit of his crabbiness to leak through his voice.

At this the Pureblood glanced to the side, arms raised slightly toward the trimming. "Such over exaggeration…" Kaname murmured softly beneath his breath, as Aidou, finally seeing his Dorm Leader wasn't paying him any attention, watched Kaname snip the string from the fringe. Kaname swiveled to a trashcan beside him and over turned his hand to let the now useless piece of string glide gently into the bin, returning the scissors back into the side desk at the same time.

When he looked up his eyes went straight to Mitsuki asleep on the bed and he glided forth, settling on the edge of the large mattress. "Aidou," he said softly and leaned over the bed to stretch his long form above Mitsuki. Gently his fingers began to caress the line of her cheek, his nails skimming upward to touch her brow tenderly. When he didn't hear Aidou respond, Kaname craned his neck backward and searched for the noble blood who had become strangely quiet after his initial response to Kaname's arrival. His crystalline eyes were fixed keenly on something before him but the only thing Kaname could see was the trashcan placed at his feet. What was in there that held such interest for him? Kaname made sure daily to keep his room free of any unnecessary items; dust and trash were a nuisance to him, a hinder. Just recently he had cleaned his room, and nothing had entered his trash bin since.

The only possible thing in there was…the piece of string. Could it be…?

Kaname repeated himself once more, his voice impassive as he called toward his dazed classmate. Yes, it was the string, he concluded as he watched Aidou break free from his reverie, the haze in his eyes disappearing quickly. Kaname sat up from his position, his form sinking gently into the bed as he folded his arms close to his chest, eyes considering Mitsuki with mild curiosity.

Aidou, noticing with frightening realization that he had just ignored Kaname for a piece of string, only managed to suppress his gasp of surprise as he exclaimed the first thing that came to mind.

"Yes - string!" he automatically shouted, and then slapped a hand to his mouth. His eyes grew wide, extremely and unbelievably wide - had he just given himself away! With an even greater degree of panic, Aidou threw himself once more into a fitful exclamation.

"No wait! Did you call me? Did you say my name, Kaname-senpai?" He glanced frantically at Mitsuki. "Yes, Mitsuki! She's fine. She's great!"

Kaname's voice lowered, the slightest bite of impatience coating his smooth voice. "Aidou."

The noble blood immediately shut up.

Kaname wanted to rest the tips of his fingers against his forehead and sigh at Aidou's irrational behavior, but he managed to suppress his emotions. "Was she any trouble?" Kaname asked patiently, as he returned his gaze back to girl. "Did she wake up?"

Relieved, although slightly puzzled at Kaname's seemingly relaxed behavior, Aidou slumped in his seat, leaning an arm against the sofa as he cupped his chin thoughtfully within his fingers. Aidou watched Kaname closely as he began to speak, trying to make his voice sound as uninterested as possible. "She's been like that ever since she fell unconscious," he drawled slowly and Aidou's eyelids drooped in a sleepy fashion. He found it wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be; two day's of missed rest were starting to catch up to him and Aidou's form lost some of its rigidness as he sagged further, legs sprawling in front of him. "She did say something interesting, though..." he added tiredly, resisting the urge to close his eyes, as he remembered Mitsuki's frantic screaming from the first night she had arrived.

"_Kaname-senpai! Kaname-senpai, don't! Don't tell them anything! __**Kaname-senpai!**__"_

"Something...Something about a secret," Aidou mumbled, his voice soft and almost unclear. "She said your name and - "

Aidou was unable to finish. Kaname was on the bed one second, staring placidly at Mitsuki as he listened to Aidou answer. The next he was standing in front of Aidou, towering menacingly over his hunched figure. The first edge of his power began to leak from Kaname's form as an uncomfortable and prickling sensation danced across Aidou's skin, nipping sharply at his fingers and toes. His eyes had darkened almost to black as they stared cold and unemotional at his subordinate.

Kaname's voice was very quiet as he spoke, although Aidou knew very well of the danger he was in as he stared straight into a pair of eyes that burned with frightening intensity. The words were cold and harsh, and as Aidou listened he tried his best not to wince at their potency. "That is enough, Aidou. Say more and I will be tempted to hit you." Kaname stalked past Aidou, completely unaware of the unhealthy pallor that spread across his face, and pulled open the door. "You can leave now."

Aidou left the room, unspeaking, his face still containing its deathly white complexion, and the door shut quietly behind him.

It seemed like Kaname was just as sensitive to this tender subject as much as Mitsuki was.

[***]

After ousting Aidou from the room Kaname didn't move from the door for a long time, staring intently at the engravings in his door as if there was something else behind it; he even lifted a hand, starting to trace the patterns in the wood upholstery with the tips of his fingers. Then he hesitated, his hand lingering uncertainly over the panels, before drawing his touch completely away. Exhaling a long, tire-filled sigh, he stepped back and slid across to the bed.

His face unreadable, Kaname scrutinized the girl quietly resting on his bed with silent contemplation. Like Aidou and Ichijou before him, Kaname wondered why she had returned, why she was back. He also tried to remember when he had last seen her, his eyes roving up and down her body unconsciously.

He moved closer to Mitsuki, leaning down low enough to where he had to brace himself with one hand along the mattress, and inspected her wordlessly. Kaname took in Mitsuki's face with sharp perception, while the moon, sitting quietly outside his window in its milky white embrace, cast the girl in silver light, further increasing his spectacle of her. The detail was sharp and prominent in the ethereal glow that was lent to her.

Kaname traced her features quietly, taking in the slow curve of her lips and the paleness of her skin, as her even breathing that filled his ears compelled him to bend closer. Unconsciously the pureblood did, his face hovering just a breath away from hers.

Had she been awake, Mitsuki would have shifted nervously beneath him, avoiding eye contact as she murmured soft and low beneath her breath, saying how embarrassed she was while blush crept warmly to her cheeks. Kaname concentrated for a moment and like a quick flash he could see her eyelashes fluttering shyly, lips barely moving, voice just above a whisper, hands pushing against his chest, trying to deny his presence but failing. The thought almost made him smile, a tiny jerk starting in his mouth, but he fought it back down, his face suddenly closing over into its unreadable mask. At the same time he pushed back the memories, burying the reminiscent dream and, which had crawled up during his silent reverie, the emotions as well.

Without disrupting the atmosphere, Kaname slid off the side of the bed and retreated to a door at the opposite end of the room. It led to a spare room, something that had been given early to him during his arrival in Cross Academy. He had never found a use for it till now.

"Mitsuki," he murmured softly, smoothing his fingers over the handle and sweeping the door wide open. "What a mystery you have become…"

* * *

**A/N :** I made Mitsuki sound a bit Mary-Sueish at the end, describing how beautiful she was and everything. I'm trying to keep her away from that category, really trying! More of the original characters will appear soon in this continuing series, I just haven't got there yet. :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer : **Matsuri Hino owns this beautiful work, not me.

* * *

3. Blood lust

The next morning Mitsuki finally broke from her unconsciousness, roused by the sound of a soft scratching that filled the room.

Dazed by her long slumber she sat up from the bed, rubbing away the remaining traces of sleep from her eyes with the pads of her long fingers. She was dimly aware that whoever had been scribbling furtively away had now stopped, its attention caught by her wakening. She turned her head in the direction the sound had been coming from, then winced in pain and recoiled back into the sheets.

Being asleep for so long had made her eyes sensitive to the light and she blinked quickly at the stars that dashed across her vision, whimpering at the harsh glare that had struck her cruelly in the face. Mitsuki squinted against the light as she raised a hand to block the sun's intrusion, and then found the action unnecessary. There was a quiet chuckle, followed by the sound of a shutter being drawn along the racks, and Mitsuki lowered her hand as she realized the sun was disappearing from view. Save for the single and unable-to-be-helped shaft of light that managed to squeeze through a tiny crack between the curtains, the room was otherwise suddenly thrown into a curtain of appreciative darkness.

Mitsuki, welcoming the new setting, was able to suppress her sigh of relief as she crawled back to the edge of the bed. It took only a few seconds for her vision to adjust and when it finally cleared, she searched for the source of the presence, her gaze resting on an outline of a person just a moment later. Immediately her eyes widened, a flooded mixture of relief and delight fondling her features as she recognized the figure sitting across from her on the other side of the room.

His legs, which had been fashionably crossed over one another, untangled themselves gracefully in the chair as Ichijou Takuma made to stand, pushing away from the desk to rise. He flicked the pen he had been writing earlier with onto the desk, and as Mitsuki watched it roll lazily across the furnished table she realized he had been the cause for the soft noise earlier. Her curiosity assuaged Mitsuki allowed herself to turn her attention to something more pleasant as Ichijou began to stride toward her, being thrown in shadow and then light as he passed through the solitary beam of sunlight he had been unable to prevent from entering the room.

A silent shiver of delight ran through her spine as he settled beside her on the bed and stared at her with his green, green eyes that were kindled with soft affection, turning them into a pair of glowing emeralds. He leaned toward her, a pleasant smile appearing, and kissed her tenderly on the brow. Then he did something that traced back to the beginnings of their childhood, as he patted her lovingly on the head. Though the action looked similar to one petting a dog rewardingly on the skull, Mitsuki couldn't help smiling at the familiar gesture. "How have you been? How do you feel, Mitsuki?" he asked. Though his mood had been cheerful and welcoming at her awakening, she noticed his question was filled with slight concern.

She didn't reply, merely placing her hand on top of the one that crowned her head. "Remember?" she said quietly, and Ichijou smiled as he recalled the memory.

_A gentle hand pressed her reassuringly from behind as her mother ushered her forward with a gentle voice. "Mitsuki, dear, this is your cousin."_

_Young 7-year-old eyes stared in awe at the beautiful creature before her, her mouth opened in admiration. She pointed a tiny finger towards the boy, as he stepped inside the mansion, shrugging off his overcoat and handing it to the doorman, who took it silently from him and went to set it on the peg standing beside the door. His expression had been held in a slight smile from the beginning of his entrance, but when he walked across the main hall and stood before the girl, his face lit up cheerfully._

_Stunned by the refreshing smile that seemed to intensify the boy's gorgeous appearance, Mitsuki found herself lost for words, and the boy, charmed by the young girl and her innocent fascination, took the hand with which she was still pointing with._

"_Mitsuki," he began, his voice carrying a pleasant and good-humored tone to it, "my name is Takuma Ichijou, your cousin." As he spoke the young vampire gave her fingers a squeeze before replacing them by her side._

_For a moment Mitsuki didn't respond to his introduction, continuing to stare, jaw-dropped, wide-eyed, at him. _

_Slightly perturbed by her lack of responsiveness and yet still interested in his new relative, Ichijou made to move, afraid he had astounded her forever into perpetual silence. But just as he was about to open his mouth, Mitsuki's entire face brightened, and for a split second Ichijou was exposed to a taste of the beauty the young girl would mature into in the future._

"_Nii-sama!" she exclaimed. Mitsuki reached out, grasping his hands into hers, and Ichijou was fully aware of the excitement flooding through her body as her fingers practically jumped inside of his palms. _

_And yet, despite finally receiving a response by Mitsuki, Ichijou found himself chuckling at his new found title._

"_I'm your cousin, Mitsuki," the young Noble blood corrected, smiling. Instinctively, Ichijou raised a hand and placed it on her brunette colored head. She smiled silently, sweetly, beneath his touch and Ichijou found the mood infectious as he felt the side of his lip tug to the side. "Although I wouldn't mind it if you called me that."_

Ichijou took her hand and pressed his lips against her fingers, hiding the sad look that entered his eyes. That had been before Mitsuki and her joys had been robbed from her. "Yes, I remember."

Mitsuki shared another smile with him, then noticed the tightness around his eyes. As she traced his features with her eyes she saw the full extent of how tired he was; barely discernible to the eye Mitsuki was able to make out the faint markings of shadows beneath his eyes, and concerned over her discovery she traced the skin with her nails. "You're tired," she softly said. "Why? Did you get enough rest? Are _you_ alright?"

Startled by Mitsuki and the sincerity of her question Ichijou forced a smile to his face, carefully masking the true fatigue he felt with his familiar chuckle. "I'm fine," he lied gently, but her eyes narrowed into further worry for him. "Yes, alright. I'm tired," he admitted, slightly ashamed of being figured out so quickly, "but I'll get the rest I need later. Soon." The source of the Noble blood's drained energy had been because of Mitsuki, but because it had been _her_ a night's rest seemed little in comparison. In all honesty after her unconsciousness Ichijou, like Aidou, had been unable to obtain any source of adequate rest, managing to close his eyes for a moment before jerking awake in sudden hope she had finally opened her eyes. This habitual manner had occurred for 72 straight hours, or three full days, which had thrown the Noble blood into a state of restless anxiety until she had finally regained consciousness on the third day. Today.

Ichijou caressed her face reassuringly, then reached inside the pocket of his school blazer to draw out a small container that jingled when he gave it a shake. "I'll be able to retire to my room soon. I just wanted to check up on you. Besides, rest is something easily gained - and I've been able to eat, too," he added quickly when he saw the questioning of his intake in nutrition begin in her eyes. He shook the item in his hand before her once more, allowing it to send out another chime. He grimaced at the sound; Ichijou didn't really consider the tablets as a true substances. The taste of them was always false on his palette, the coppery flavor of 'blood' leaving an unappealing after-taste in his mouth. Ichijou pocketed the case, disregarding his intentional answer and replacing it with, "Well, in a sense I've been able to eat."

Mitsuki opened her mouth, beginning to reply at his answer, when she felt something nick at the back of her mind, like a sudden inkling that she had forgotten long ago and had finally decided to resurface. But the surfacing was strangly warm as it tickled inside of her. Mitsuki's brows drew together in puzzlement and she bent over at the waist, clutching her head as if in pain. Aware that it had been recognized, the 'inkling', seeming to have a mind of its own, began to grow, intensifying. She let out a deep sigh; her body felt unusually warm.

Ichijou, who had noticed the odd expression sweep across her face, felt his eyes narrow. "Mitsuki," he began softly, watching her carefully, "are you alright? Do you need water?"

She shook her head as she stared at the carpeted floor, wiping away a trickle of sweat that slipped down her face. She noticed her vision phase unsteadily before her. "No...No, I'm alright."

Ichijou's jaw tightened as he realized what she was fighting, but remained calm. "Mitsuki?"

"H...Hmm?" The answer sounded forced, and Mitsuki collapsed from the bed and onto her knees to the floor.

"When was the last time you fed?"

Mitsuki didn't turn, somehow managing to quell her heavy breathing as she straightened from the floor, but Ichijou could see she held herself up with some stiffness, almost picturing the wide eyes she now held on her expression. The small inkling, fed by the question, suddenly flared in her body, sending a familiar sense of prickling sweeping through her body. She grimaced, clutching her head. "N - Nii-san...!" was the only word she was able to get out before unspeakable agony exploded inside of her. She was suddenly overwhelmed by the sense of being burned from the inside, a raging fire, she realized with growing horror, that could neither be doused by water or fed by regular wood. It was a darker fire, a lick of flame that Mitsuki labeled as sin.

The desire to fill her mouth with flesh, the need to have her lips run dark crimson, dripping with the sticky, bodily fluid that tasted richly of salt and copper, and fulfill the raw and animalistic, intention that now seemed to devour her from the inside out.

"A...Ah...!" Her hands were to her face once again as she gasped sharply at the excruciating experience. But she wouldn't do it. She couldn't because if she did, it would only remind her of - !

Another lance of agony seared through her, breaking her concentration, and Mitsuki opened her mouth to scream, but hands grasped her face and the touch somehow managed to stop her cry of pain, as she found herself staring into her cousin's bejeweled eyes. The emerald cast irises stared deeply into hers as she felt her face pulled close to his, and through the pandemonium of her senses Mitsuki was faintly aware that he was speaking to her, his voice calm and soothing to her ears.

"Mitsuki, you must listen carefully to me. You are changing, very quickly, very unexpectedly. I did not realize how dangerous your condition was until now, and I was not expecting it to surface so quickly." He seized her face firmer between his fingers when he felt her stiffen beneath him and try and struggle from his grasp. Ichijou bent closer toward his cousin and kissed her gently on the crown of her head. "Mitsuki," he continued, pulling his face from hers but still keeping a solid grasp. "Mitsuki! Listen to me. You need to feed – no! Listen!" And he shook her in his grasp till she finally looked at him, her eyes barely suppressing tears that threatened to spill. The situation was painful for her, he was clearly aware of that, and he cursed himself for ever leaving her alone for so long.

Desperate to maintain her sanity Mitsuki focused her full concentration on her cousin and the movement of his lips, but quickly she saw her hold slipping as a new sound, more clear, more _alive_, echoed in her ears.

Perhaps a quarter mile of a way came the the delicious sound that sent her instincts roaring through her: the sweet and lovely pulse of a human.

Mitsuki felt her mouth slacken, going dry partially with fear, mostly in desire. The scent she had abhorred and refused just seconds ago, now seemed the most enticing thing she had ever smelt before, as she allowed it to fill her nostrils, drowning her mind in the intoxicating aroma.

The lust for blood consumed her.

"Mitsuki. Mitsuki!" Ichijou bit his bottom lip, hard, as he saw the original violet of her eyes wash away, giving away to a rich and vibrant crimson that burned in color. With years of practice Ichijou swallowed the wave of panic that threatened to overwhelm him, sending the tension running along his arms as he unconsciously slipped his hands from her face and down to her arms where they squeezed her tight enough that his knuckles turned white. As a partial amount of apprehension was allowed to slip from him, so too did the color in Mitsuki's eyes as the pain he had unintentionally given her jerked her from her phase.

Regaining a bit of her senses Mitsuki realized the horror she had almost succumb to, and, the beating of hearts still alive in her ears, she threw her fingers to her ears with frightening alarm, trying to grate out the sound. "Onii-sama - Ichijou-onii-sama!" Mitsuki gasped in horror as she felt the dreadful hands clasp her once more, trying to drag her back into the dark abyss of lost sanity, but, struggling, she fought it back and stared up at her cousin with a desperate, pleading expression.

There was a split second where Ichijou allowed himself to feel a great wave of relief at Mitsuki's return. Then his jaw set as he snagged her face for a second time in his fingers. "You are in danger of dropping to Level E, Mitsuki. Now listen," and his voice was very soft, very patient, over her struggled breathing, "there is blood prepared for you on the counter beside us," he watched as her eyes suddenly flew to the side he nodded in, and they grew with alarm as she spotted the chalice sitting quietly atop the dresser. "You need to take it." He saw the new wash of pain appear in her eyes and it took everything for Ichijou to keep himself from looking away.

Mitsuki, now chocking back tears, found the strength to grasp his wrists, and weakly she tugged at them, unable – not wanting to come to terms. "Ichijou - !" she gasped loudly, her voice cracking with emotions. "Please –Please, no!" She struggled against him with renewed strength when she saw him reach for the cup she fought against him, and it was only through controlled strength and practiced grace and balance was he able to effectively prop her up in his arms, cradling her writhing figure against his chest.

"Mitsuki," he began softly. Then a hand appeared out of nowhere, two long and elegantly crafted fingers, the index and middle, resting lightly at Mitsuki's brow. A soft glow emitted beneath the touch, the color reminding Ichijou vividly of Mitsuki's eye color, before ebbing away in pulsing waves. Like a mannequin's strings suddenly dropped Mitsuki slumped unfashionably in his arms, once more thrown into a state of unconsciousness.

"The effects won't last long. At best she'll regain conscious tonight, ready to attend class later tonight at the Dorms."

Ichijou, relieved that she had finally settled, absent-mindedly stroked away strands of misplaced hair on his cousin's forehead, as he smiled sadly. "You've enrolled her already?" He stared silently at his sleeping cousin, noticing the gentle peace that blanketed her features, and then glanced upward toward the figure towering over him. "Kaname-sama."

The darkly handsome face of the Pureblood was unreadable as he took the silver enlaced chalice from the desk and handed it to his companion. He nodded as Ichijou received the cup, the liquid barely reaching the halfway mark. Sucking in a deep breath Ichijou tilted the lip of the dish against Mitsuki's parted mouth, spilling his own blood down her throat. The silence stringed out before them, as the two male vampires watched until the last trace disappeared into her mouth.

Then Kaname kneeled beside the two, a dagger in hand. "I spoke to the Headmaster about her, yes," he told Ichijou quietly, placing the edge of the blade against the tender part of his wrist. Unflinching he slid the knife sharply along his skin, and this time Ichijou turned away at the sight of blood that welled against his Dorm Leader's pale flesh and ran down the length of his arm.

"Let me see her, Takuma, " Kaname said when he noticed his companion's distress at the sight, and took Mitsuki from him, wrapping her gently in his arms. Holding his bloodied right hand above her mouth, Kaname sighed, narrowing his eyes, and he flexed his fingers, coaxing the blood from his body. Slowly, the ruby droplets collected and dropped into her open mouth; Ichijou winced at the sound of it splashing inside of Mitsuki's mouth, trying his best to ignore. When a measure of ten drops had been spilled Kaname picked her up before settling her back onto the bed.

As Ichijou got to his feet he saw Kaname rummage within the folds of his pocket before pulling out a delicate vial, which he handed to Ichijou. There was a slight tracing of a rose decorated upon the glass.

"This is what you need, correct?" Kaname took Ichijou's hand and placed it in his palm, where the Pureblood's blood wavered gently inside the bottle. "This should be enough for her tablets."

Ichijou nodded in agreement, slipping it into his pants pocket as he watched Kaname retreat to the doors that led to the main deck of the Moon Dorm. "Make sure she's ready before class begins," he instructed quietly, then exited the room, leaving Ichijou with his cousin in her cataleptic state.

Once more the Pureblood's chambers was thrown into silence.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer : **Vampire Knight belongs to, who, now? Everyone say it together: Matsuri Hino! Ah, very good! :D

* * *

4. Reacquainted

Mitsuki's lip pulled to the side in question as she studied her reflection in the mirror, angling this way, shifting that way, trying to see if she had donned the uniform on correctly. From what she could see everything seemed to be in order, spic and span -the zippers zipped where they needed, buttons buttoned where they had to be- except for one item, and her unsettled concerns caused her to focus solely on the tiny decoration that hung below her collarbone. After a moment of silent contemplation that had been centered on the troubling piece, she raised her hands and touched the red tie at her neckline, the action tentative and unsure like the rest of her being. "Like this?" she asked, tapping the lopsided bow and turning towards the man behind her. "Did I... Did I do it right?"

Kain Akatsuki, who had sat and waited patiently on the bed, watching her twirl and move to inspect herself for the past fifteen minutes, bent across his knees and cupped his face, slouching even more on the bed than before as he began to stroke his chin, a habit of his whenever he was asked of something that required a great deal of thought or concentration. Though he was stooped in an almost unceremonious fashion, his eyes were fixed deeply with concentration as he examined her lithe figure, red orbs scanning her work rather intensely. Both caretaker and escort to Mitsuki tonight, Kain took his job with the utmost seriousness, not only because it was his duty, but also because of _who_ had assigned it to him. His eyes narrowed slightly, continuing to examine, as the cheerful older Noble blood's words appeared.

_"Kain, please don't forget to bring Mitsuki to class tonight," Ichijou chirped pleasantly. "She's important to me." A hint of a smile started at his lips, a secret glint that Kain could not read appearing in his senior's eyes as he added, "Someone in particular, far more powerful than I, will know if Mitsuki is absent or in any trouble." Then Ichijou was gone from the room._

Kain repressed a visible shiver as the memory faded. The threat had been subtle but clear as day to Kain, and the image of his Dorm Leader's face appeared in his mind's eye. Kain had no intention of leading Mitsuki astray, let alone kidnap her, but the idea still left a sizable impression on him - which was why he took Mitsuki's small and rather insignificant question with such importance. He was aware, he realized, that even though Ichijou had asked him for this 'favor', it was Kaname who had been the one to assign this task.

Mitsuki, unaware of Kain's thoughts, waited patiently at the foot of the bed, averting her eyes from his intense gaze as she played absent-mindlessly with the fringe of her skirt. Truth be told, she was a bit intimidated by his scrutinizing and it took everything not to fidget nervously.

"Mitsuki," he finally called and her head snapped up attentively, hands dropping to her side.

"Y - Yes...?"

He beckoned her forward, one firm sweep of his finger cutting through the air. "Here," he said. "Come here."

She went to him, obedient, and Kain reached for her. "You made the bow too tight," he told her as he loosened the clasp and started to set the bow straight. Eyes wide, Mitsuki watched him fix her mistake with surprise. His overly large and rough looking hands took the task with grace, his movements deft and sure of themselves as he accomplished the delicate work with ease. Punching the pin back in to finish, Kain frowned, trailing an index finger down one of the sides. "And when you pulled at the edges you seemed to crease the tail, too," he added bluntly. A look of slight disapproval started to carve his features, and Mitsuki, embarrassed at her inability to put on a simple uniform, had the grace to blush as she brushed her fingers once more against the corrected ribbon.

Then she took a step back, retreating towards the mirror, and spun in a circle while Kain, suddenly self-conscious, touched his own, making sure it was set right. "Does it look fine?" Mitsuki asked.

Kain dropped his fingers back to his side, the action subtle, and merely nodded. She smiled, then checked herself one last time, and as Mitsuki began to make sure she was touch-free of imperfections Kain glanced at the side wall, checking the time. They were already behind schedule and once more Kain fought down the urge to tremble. Only God knew what Kaname would do to him if they were any later.

But before he could catch her hand and drag her from the room, haste at their steps, a movement caught his eye. He turned and saw Mitsuki bent on one knee, a hand gripping the side of her head, her face contorted into a mixed expression of pain and puzzlement. His eyebrows drew down, disquiet. "Mitsuki?" he began, but she waved him back, clearing the unfocused look in her eyes.

"I'm fine," Mitsuki reassured him quietly, and taking a moment to recover her bearings, she sat up and inhaled deeply. She looked out of one of the windows silently and stared at the scenery outside. The sun was setting behind the distant western hills, casting its light one last time across the valley. It spilled the land in an array of golds and crimsons, streaking the sky briefly with color until finally disappearing behind the mountains.

"Thinking," she said when she saw Kain's figure move faintly in the window's reflection. "Just thinking…" And her thoughts took her to the this morning when she had awaken.

_Something gentle caressed her face and Mitsuki opened her eyes, blinking against the morning light. The first thing she saw were shining blue spheres, brilliant and stunning in the shadow of the face that stared down at her. The person's mouth was just inches above hers, puckered, and she realized that he had been in the midst of blowing against her eyes –that had been the feeling earlier –when she had waken._

"_Yo…" Aidou said, his breath pressing warmly against her cheek once more as he smiled. Crouched over her figure that lay on the bed, half crawled on the bed himself, he pulled his head away, though didn't move from her, and spoke to someone farther away. "Ichijou-san," he said, "she's awake."_

_As the younger vampire rolled away from Mitsuki, striding over to stretch and lounge lazily across a sofa, Ichijou got to his feet and walked over to Mitsuki. When she sat up at his arrival he took her chin in his hand, the action gentle, and caught her eyes with his. There was a look of intense relief in them, she noticed, but before she could make sense as to why, he immediately dove into a topic that caught Mitsuki off guard. "Since you'll be staying here, I assume, I was able to talk with the Headmaster and he agreed to have you enrolled at Cross Academy. You need to get ready for class tonight," Ichijou informed her, "because your first session is later today at the other dormitories. I don't have the time to escort you – ah, no," he placed a finger against her lips when she made to speak, "because I still need to get other things ready, like where your room is and where you'll be staying. And Aidou," - he paused long enough to glance over his shoulder, eying his subordinate briefly - "for once in his life, will be attending class on time tonight, which means he won't be taking you to class either." _

_Ichijou dropped his grip as he started toward a far door, passing Aidou who had begun to laugh weakly at the Noble blood's earlier and unnervingly correct assumption. Mitsuki was still taking in what her cousin had told her, blinking quickly to register the information, as the doors swung open and revealed a figure. Ichijou swept his hand out, smiling pleasantly. "He will," he said and Kain entered the room._

Mitsuki's reverie was abruptly broken as she felt a hand rest heavily on her shoulder and when she turned around to face Kain, he jerked his head to the side. "Time to go. Don't forget anything." He exited the room, not noticing Mitsuki return her gaze briefly outside. It was already dark outside, night coming on quickly this evening; stars shown against the black sky, scattered along the dark stretch.

_Don't forget anything._

What irony, she thought to herself, for as Mitsuki continued to stare from the tall window, a distant look in her eyes, she couldn't help but wonder at the wall that seemed to block something inside of her. It felt as if there was a mental barrier that prevented her from remembering...remembering something. She touched the panels, cool and smooth beneath her fingers. But what was it she was trying to remember? Before she had awaken this morning she had caught brief glimpses of pictures skirting along her mind's eye, the images moving too quickly for her to make sense of them. And as the day had progressed and begun to die, so too had the images, becoming so foggy and scattered that she could barely make sense of it.

Her fingers flexed a little, uneasy at the fact that she was incapable of recalling a simple memory. A light glow emitted from the glass as Kain cracked open the door, spilling a beam inside the darkened room. He called her, and tearing her eyes from the sight, Mitsuki exited the room.

[***]

As Mitsuki and Kain left the room, Kain locking the doors quietly behind them, a figure slipped outside his own compartment located two hallways down. His eyes were set in fixed concentration as he fumbled at the clasp that held his tie, having difficulty maneuvering his fingers about the delicate metal. The uniform had had too many buttons and zippers, too many cuffs and links to put together, that he had found himself late for class by half an hour. This was just another unnecessary object he found himself troubled with, another item that caused him to be late.

Something popped against his uniform, startling him, and he looked down in curiosity, playful mint eyes inquiring the open clasp he held in his hand. All he had to do was slip it beneath his tie, which he kept tucked away in his pants pocket, and clip it beneath his collar, then everything would be fine. The only problem was that at one point in the metal it was bent unevenly, preventing him from properly hooking the clasp to his shirt."Stubborn piece," he mumbled in slight irritation, but despite himself the boy smiled a tiny smile. This was just a small set back.

Then he sighed, slipping the ribbon he usually wore to keep his hair up in his mouth, and began his attempt at fixing the piece. His steps slowed, bringing him to a halt in the middle of the empty corridor and he bent down to play at the piece. But he only managed to bend the delicate piece more and it snapped suddenly beneath his touch.

He exhaled in defeat, giving up. "I'm usually much better at this," he murmured about the ribbon and looked up, trying to find the supply room. He set off through the mansion at an easy and unperturbed pace. There was no point trying to get to class on time now that he was officially late – might as well take his time.

[***]

They were starting down the stairs, almost to the door, when Kain suddenly stopped, and Mitsuki only managed to keep herself from bumping into his tall frame as she stumbled to a halt. He snapped his fingers sharply, making a small sound of irritation against the roof of his mouth, and then turned to look back the way they had came. His whole body shuddered as he gave a great sigh, pocketing both hands within his pant pockets with a mild look of irritation. Then he was retreating back to the top. "Just a moment," he said as he passed her. He paused at the pinnacle of the staircase, pointing at a few of the ivory pillowed couches located at the bottom floor. "Wait for me there, I'll be back." Then he disappeared around the corner.

There was a moment of undecided hesitation as Mitsuki stared helplessly at the spot where Kain had been just a few seconds ago, and she almost started after him, tracing his steps upward and ascending the staircase. But when Mitsuki peered down the hallway that Kain had disappeared through she felt a cold wave of premonition wash through her. The corridor was sparsely lit, the weak candle light that flickered dimly along the wall barely penetrating the inky blackness that filled the main part of the passage. Her ears buzzed from the untouched silence that filtered down the stretch of the passage, as she could barely make out the bend Kain had rounded in his retreat.

The gloom was depressing, almost eerie, as Mitsuki watched suspicious shadows dart across the floors and walls like cats along an alley. She exhaled shakily, the sound hovering momentarily in the air before disappearing a moment later, swallowed by the dark. The longer she stared, the more it felt like the blackness thickened, weighing heavily on her shoulders and making it difficult to breath. Though her mind screamed at her to retreat, Mitsuki peered closer, her hand sliding along the wall until it disappeared in the darkness; and the shadows were cold against her skin, slipping up her fingers and into her pores. The experience was frightening, and she backed up a step, nervous.

There was something underneath that dark cloud, as if something hid from her, lurking beneath the shadow, waiting for her to step closer, come closer...

Another dark chill swept through her, and Mitsuki clutched a hand to her chest, feeling her heart beat frantically inside, pounding quickly like a caged bird fighting to get out. Something suddenly moved within the shadows, causing her breath to catch in her throat. The movement was only slight at first, shifting in the faint light as if a tiny breeze had disturbed the calm. Then it began to grow, bulging in places they shouldn't rippling along the surface that grew both in strength and clarity. And they moved toward her. She wanted to retreat, run away from this place, but she was immobilized by a fear that dug and twisted its claws deep inside her, forcing her to watch. The shadows drew closer, seeping up the walls and through the floor, and Mitsuki, clutched by the unseen force, took a resisting step forward, her actions not her own.

_Come_, the invisible force called, and Mitsuki began to tremble. _Come closer and remember..._

A soft and abnormally fast sound filled her ears and she realized she was hyperventilating, her breaths shallow and incapable of being slowed. Unable to believe what was happening Mitsuki watched as the gloom took shape, twisting and shifting wildly. It was as if it was a completely separate entity, the darkness one thing, the...nightmare another. Fear shot through her, violet eyes dilating, heart rate skyrocketing, and Mitsuki waited at the end of the hallway for the monster to appear.

Waited for the thing to scramble toward her on four appendages, crawl and jerk violently at her, limbs gnarled and twisted beyond the name of 'arm' or 'leg' to reach out toward her, its body convulsing in appeal; waited for it to gargle and gasp for breath, the sound guttural in its throat, mixed with soft giggles and rasping sighs that shook her nerves; waited for her name to be whispered along the cool breeze that suddenly swept over her. Waiting...waiting...waiting...

The back of her throat tickled as overwhelming fear shot through her, and Mitsuki tilted back her head, madness and terror biting at her mind, readying to scream, waiting for the monster to snatch her...waiting for the darkness to swell up and consume her...

A brief image flew past her, increasing her insanity, and Mitsuki's hands flew to her face as she recognized the picture. No. No...! What was...? What was with this memory? She had locked it up tight years ago, shut forever in her heart, creating wall after wall to fortitude her from the nightmare. She thought she'd forgotten this hellish memory long ago, sure she had buried it away so it would never surface, made sure she had - !

"Come here," a voice said, and Mitsuki felt herself suddenly yanked back as firm hands at her shoulders pulled her away. With a sudden shimmer and what almost sounded like a sigh of disappointment, the darkness and its terrifying apparition flickered, then began to fade into nothingness. And it was all over.

She blinked, unfocused. Before her now was only an open hallway, still dark and scantly lit, but without the haunting air she had just experienced a moment ago.

And yet still Mitsuki found herself shaking beyond reason, trying to catch her breath and settle her fears, both to no avail.

"Wha...?" she began.

The person behind her, oblivious to the nightmare she had just experienced, hushed her gently, interrupting, and took up her left hand in its own, resting the other lightly on her hip. She didn't know what was happening, everything seemed to be moving too fast - was she being assaulted? Kidnapped?

But even though she was still at a complete loss and in potential danger, Mitsuki, oddly enough, felt no danger emit from this person.

"You're trembling," the stranger said softly behind her, and she heard amusement in the observation.

The person had a pleasantly warm voice, comforting and yet playful at the same time. And instead of being frightened at the sudden grip she was in, Mitsuki felt the tension in her body ease, as if she'd just stepped into a warm shower and allowed the ache in her muscles to disappear.

Yet something nicked her in the back of her mind...

Her puzzlement was quickly broken as the person said, "Well, stop it. Stop trembling." And much to her surprise, she did, the feeling no more than a distant memory. She was awarded with a chuckle that caused her eyes to widen. This voice was so familiar - that was it. Like she had heard it long ago. Why couldn't she place it? It was definitely male, the tone, though light-hearted and pleasing to the ear, was low, holding that rumbling volume only males could have. As her eyebrows narrowed in confusion, fighting to remember, the hand that held her own tightened and lifted up her arm to hold it loosely to the side.

As if her thoughts were written clearly in the air, the stranger's mouth was by her ear once more, speaking softly and smiling. "Ah, do you remember me?" he asked, and before she could answer he was pulling her away from the lip of the hallway, walking backwards.

Misuki suddenly found her breath lighten, as they stepped into both the middle and the brightest part of the room, the warm chandelier glow above them giving an imperceptible air. "If I move this way," he murmured and shifted slightly the side, increasing the pressure at her hips only minutely. She was startled, not only at the action but the sense of nostalgia that flew through her, and the man quickly made it vanish as he touched her more firmly in silent encouragement. She followed him backward. He nodded his head in satisfaction.

"And if I go this way..." he said, anticipation now at his voice, and he led her to the other side, this time raising her arm more. To her surprise, Mitsuki moved at almost the exact time he had, comprehension beginning to appear in her eyes, as she realized the movement was one of old times, years and years of practice pounded within her until she had allowed just her body to take over.

He began to lead her around and about the main entrance hall, twisting in a various manner of half steps and long strides, twirls and dips, and Mitsuki followed his movements perfectly, molding her body to his. The only sound was the swish of her skirt as she pirouetted gracefully about him, or the hush of carpet as he slid his foot along the ground. As they swept along the floor, filled in absolute grace and perfection, Mitsuki soon saw that she hadn't seen his face this entire time, not even glimpse. He had been able to cleverly hide his appearance, lifting his face when she had craned hers to the side, their movements calling for it, and pulling his cheek into shadow. And when they had passed across the large open window of the balcony, a full view of the two of them together in the crystalline panels, he had swept her quickly across the glass, dancing away before she had had the time to catch his reflection in the mirror.

The burning curiosity was soon assuaged as soon as their steps slowed and he sighed behind her with satisfaction, "Ah, very good." Then her vision was whirling about her as the hands that held her hand and her hip, clasped upon her shoulders and turned her about.

Mitsuki was able to stifle a gasp just in time as striking green eyes, the color unbelievably bright, stared straight into her own no more than inches from her face. It was the color of spring, the color of mints and celadon. The color sparkled and glittered in the light, the parts of his eyes that _were_ somehow shadowed, hiding the dark mischievousness underlying the playful nature. And now this remarkable color - the freshly born blades of grass during the first days of spring - bore deep into her with suppressed pleasure. A bang of chestnut brown hair strayed into his eyes, covering the beautiful color only momentarily as he smiled and brushed it away.

Had she seen his eyes from the beginning she would have known who this young man standing before her was instantly.

Now face-to-face with him, Mitsuki was able to hear how wonderful, how familiar the voice was."Have you missed me?"

But Mitsuki, wide eyed than she'd ever been before, could only stop and stare, rendered speechless beyond compare as she faced a ghost from her past.

Childhood friend, Tsukutane Koegi.

* * *

**A/N : **First let me say this: what Mitsuki saw in the hall was more of a...psychological thing. It was all imagination - but it does relate to something that had happened to her in the past. For now, all I can say is that Mitsuki has a very...unstable condition when it comes to certain things, which will be revealed later. If my darn Writer's Block will stop acting up, you might find out what the 'secret' is before I graduate high school! :D

Second. I know, I know. Tsukutane Koegi. It sounds funny, and if you pronounce his first name (last name?) wrong, it sounds even funnier. Let me see if I can write it correctly, or at least explain it. It's not SU-ku-TA-ne. You have to roll the first part -Tsuku- so it sounds like 'skoo', and than add the ending, which is supposed to be 'tunae' (no, not 'tuna', 'tunAE', literally the letter 'a') The result: 'Skoo-tunae' - Tsukutane! Got it? :D The last part should be easy to say. "Koh-egi'.

The reason why his first (last name? Gosh dangit!) name isn't typical Japanese is because, I, uh...made it up. I thought the two names fit nicely, so that is what I called him. I'm pretty sure 'Koegi' is Japanese...or Nigerian...or Indonesian...or Neapolitan (ha, a joke.) - or something! I just know it's not made up! (If I caused any offense to those readers who are a part of that country, or have a part of that in their ethnicityy, I highly apologize!)

One more thing I need to say about my newest character. Since I'm retyping this series from my old account - (if you're too impatient to wait for the upcoming chapters, you can go to my Quizilla account where it was first made, and just type in kunoichi04. Let me warn you that the series there will be altered from the series here. Mitsuki and Tsukutane, for example, have met one another differently here than there.) - I was a unsure about whether keeping his name or not. It just sounded...funny. But I thought about it for a while, coming up with a new combination of other utterly ridiculous titles, but I could only see 'Tsukutane Koegi' fitting. So, as I kept Mitsuki and her full name original, so too did I keep Tsukutanes'. :)


	5. Chapter 5

5. Reunion

It had been through a simple stroke of luck that Tsukutane had managed to turn into the right corridor and arrive at the end of the hall where he'd found Mitsuki standing, her back to him. Appearing transfixed by something at the opposite end - Tsukutane peering over her shoulder as he'd approached her - he'd taken advantage of her distraction and swept her up from behind, embracing her slim figure to him. A moment before he'd whisked her away, Tsukutane imagined he had caught a look of brief but vivid horror carved into her expression. Then he had seen nothing more, his steps requiring him to look away lest he guide them ungracefully into the surrounding furniture. Upon releasing her Tsukutane had expected nothing less from Mitsuki when he'd spun her around and spotted the look of complete astonishment gracing her features, her eyes growing large as they had fallen upon his relaxed figure.

Her expression, full of such disbelief and almost detached wonderment, continued to bring him great amusement as he inspected her now - his previous concerns, forgotten - and, wanting to break the wall of shock that separated them, Tsukutane decided to act.

He took a step back, brandishing the back of one hand against his white blazer before inspecting his polished nails closely. Then with a look of fixed concentration, Tsukutane pressed his middle and forefinger together, the rest balled into a fist, and touched the tips of them lightly to Mitsuki's brow. "Don't frown like that, Mitsuki," he insisted, his seriousness breaking beneath a cheerful smile. "Wrinkles at your age would be highly unattractive."

Her eyes widened at the contact, the touch seeming to spark life into her system, and Mitsuki finally registered the figure standing in front of her, a faint smile still touching his outer lips. So affected by his appearance, Mitsuki's expression made her appear almost lost, like a child left on the deserted streets. "You're...here..." she whispered almost inaudibly as her voice trembled with sudden emotion, and the boy, catching the words as if they were spoken on a clear summer day, nodded happily in agreement.

He tapped his cheek lightly, an action of self amusement. "Yes, it's me," he smiled before lowering one eye in the fashion of a slow wink, and as he cocked his head, a silver studded earring caught the faint candlelight and flashed at her, making her blink in surprise. "And although I'm smitten by that unwavering gaze of yours," he continued to say, resting the fingers of one hand against her chin, "I'd like to carry an actual conversation with you, Mitsuki. Please," he touched her bottom lip in a brief caress, "say more than what you have before this day finishes."

Purposefully becoming intimate to instill some action within her, Tsukutane grew pleased when she pushed his fingers aside with a startled expression and retreated a step away. "Oh..." he said, feigning hurt as he pressed a hand to his chest in subtle theatrics, but she ignored it, trying to contain the overwhelming wave of emotions inside her.

Mitsuki inhaled shakily, a clenched hand to her breast as she forced herself to remain calm. No amount of words could describe the gratitude she owed Tsukutane, for when she had been twelve, he had swept down a saving hand and snatched her from the depths of insanity. This reunion was almost as significant as the one she had had with Ichijou, and once more memories of her past resurfaced. For a split second Tsukutane was replaced by a vivid collection of light and color as they raced across her mind's eye, mirrors and brief images of children flashing into view. Then, appearing with such a speed that almost made it indiscernible, came a pair of lilac eyes, dulled in a pale face that was drowning in a stormy, blackened night.

It rushed her, nearly drowning her consciousness as the sounds - so familiar and yet which she had no memory of - began to swamp her, but before they could surface entirely, Mitsuki forced them back. With a tight gasp, she snapped her eyes to Tsukutane, momentarily bewildered. Then, tenderly, slowly, her expression softened into relief, the silent battle ebbing away, and she finally addressed him. "I'm glad you're here, but," and a moment of confusion swept over her face, "why?" As she continued to speak, continued to focus her attention on Tsukutane, she felt the tension in her body fade.

Drawing comfort from this sensation, Mitsuki pressed him further with question, wishing to rid herself completely of the visions. "Tell me - Tsukutane, you were supposed to be attending class over seas."

To her surprise, light-hearted laughter filled the room as Tsukutane turned his head to the side and chuckled, and the sound seemed to be the final key for Mitsuki's relief as she felt the last stream of anxiety leave her. Another moment of gratefulness passed from her to him as Mitsuki pressed a hand to her chest, exhaling deeply.

Unaware of his effect, Tsukutane began to answer her, his fingers following along the collar of his blazer till they reached his tie and, with a subtle flick of his nails, the silk tie unraveled and he pulled it free from about his neck. In keen interest, he started to run it through long, pale fingers, enjoying the smooth feel of it. "But I'm here, as you can see. I transferred here instead. "

Unburdened of her previous worries, his reply made Mitsuki grow responsive, her actions becoming animated as she placed a hand to her brow, shaking her head gently from side to side. "But I don't understand," she began, her amethyst eyes concerned, "you were given the opportunity to study abroad because - "

She was cut short by a soft _woosh_ as Tsukutane appeared before her once more, stopping her words with a finger pressed lightly against her lips. He was close enough that the color in his eyes nearly blinded her as they regarded her in their vivid green ambiance. "But I'm _here_," he repeated, and though he spoke gently there was a strain in his words that told her this conversation had reached its end.

Taken aback by the inflection in his voice, Mitsuki halted immediately. Tsukutane, a rather easy going and cheerful character who rarely succumbed to such sensitives, had acted so abruptly to the situation. His insistence at ending the conversation was a rarity for Mitsuki.

At her hesitant but acquiescing nod, Tsukutane rewarded her with a small smile, one that caused his eyes to soften with warmth, and she could almost see the spill of relief enter them. He slipped a hand into his pocket, pulling out something tiny, and then set it shining before her eyes. "This," he said, lifting one of her own hands and pressing it into her palm, "is for you - "Mitsuki gazed at the simple piece of metal lying cool against her skin and recognized it as the latch that held the school uniform ribbon "- to help me with. As you can see," he continued conversationally, tapping the collar of his black shirt, "I'm missing a key piece to our uniform."

A sound of surprise escaped her as Mitsuki pieced together what he was asking. "But I didn't..." she started to protest but he was already slipping her the ribbon, the crimson silk pooling alongside the clip, ineffectively. Mistakenly, he had assumed the perfection of her bow tie had been because of her own handiwork. "Where's your original piece? And where did you get this new one?"

Tsukutane, who was in the process of retying his hair, paused to give her an inquiring look and then dropped his arms, allowing his shoulder length hair to sweep forward. When it settled, his hair framed his face attractively. "I'm borrowing it," he replied lightly, running his fingers through chestnut brown bangs, but the mischievous glean which entered his eyes left Mitsuki unconvinced. _From the supply room_, he finished silently in his head, recalling the events before he'd run into Mitsuki. By some miraculous chance Tsukutane had managed to locate the Moon dormitory's supply room.

Although he had been polite enough to signal his entrance with a knock, Tsukutane had been unsurprised at the vacated room as he'd entered. He'd only leaned against the front desk for a moment, contemplating his situation as he stared at the shelves lined with boxes along the walls. Then, turning a blind eye to the sign that clearly read '**Staff only**', Tsukutane had hopped nimbly over the short counter top and swiftly found the appropriate drawer. Slipping the metal hasting into his pants pocket, he'd leapt back to the other side with a satisfied smile and exited.

The eighteen year old swiveled on his heel to face Mitsuki, beckoning. "Come, come, Mitsuki," he insisted lightly, "before we're any later to - " He halted mid sentence, his eyes drifting to something behind her with curious inquiry. "Oh, but before that," Tsukutane said with a pleasant smile and tilted his head to the side, "please introduce me to our guest hiding there in the shadows."

Mitsuki couldn't tell whether Tsukutane's manners were genuine or not as he waved cheerfully at the person standing behind her, and she turned just in time to spot Kain as he appeared from the darkened end of the hallway Tsukutane had appeared from earlier. He seemed to have materialized from the darkness, for his wildly colored hair almost burned to life as the chandelier light touched his fair skin. His eyes were even more dramatically colored as they narrowed in suspicion at Tsukutane, eying the boy whose mint green orbs appeared to eat the light.

"It's against school policy to steal from the supply room without permission." said Kain, who had caught the last bits of their conversation. His voice tickled along her skin as Mitsuki heard the low rumble of his voice vibrate with slight annoyance.

"Borrowed," Tsukutane cooed softly. The reply made the hairs on the back of Kain's neck bristle, his eyebrows pulling down in sharp lines, and seeing his irritation, Mitsuki stepped up to the taller vampire, one arm held out slightly to the side.

Despite the sudden tension she gazed up at the male who spanned at least two heads taller than herself, gladdened by his return. "Kain-senpai!" She'd nearly forgotten why she had stayed at the top of the stairwell, and yet here he stood, looking relatively unhappy. "Where did you..." He raised his left hand at her question, which was momentarily preoccupied with two, heavily bound books, a maroon colored ribbon tied neatly along each of the leather covers. "Go," she finished softly as she spotted the texts, and her expression became lost in wonderment, daunted by their enormous size. "Those are for me?"

Temporarily, Kain allowed himself the luxury of forgetting the male standing opposite him to address Mitsuki. "I don't leave without a purpose," he replied, starting to hand over the texts but noticing her hesitancy he retrieved them back to his side. "You won't need them until class time," he said, giving a plausible excuse, and Mitsuki, trying to hide her look of relief, mustered a weak smile at Kain. He took a deep breath, deciding to address the issue that continued to stare at him, and regarded Mitsuki's companion. "Who is this?" he sighed, trying to keep his voice neutral but Tsukutane, noticing his recognition, threw another wave at him, and Kain felt his brow twitch abominably.

"Senpai," Mitsuki began hastily, hoping to reassure Kain that Tsukutane's jests were simply harmless but from behind Tsukutane made a small "Ooh..." of interest as he caught the title, his lips pursed in amusement.

"You address him so formally, Mitsuki," he mused softly.

Mitsuki threw a firm look over her shoulder and the mischievous vampire quieted instantly, a hand pressed to his mouth in an obedient gesture. She then turned back to Kain, who appeared to be restraining himself with some effort.

"Tsukutane Koegi," Mitsuki answered quickly, her heart in her throat as she watched Kain's eyes flicker from hers and then to Tsukutane. "He's part of the Night Class now, from what he's told me. And he's someone I've known since I was young - a friend."

"Mitsuki..." She could still hear the wariness in his voice and it appeared as if he would remain unconvinced.

Tsukutane sighed, wishing the other vampire would just come to terms and accept Mitsuki's words, if not him. But as he opened his mouth to stake his claim, Mitsuki's voice cut through his own.

"Someone...dear to me," she pressed softly, and this time there was a sincerity in her voice that Tsukutane realized reflected a genuine part of Mitsuki's character. Scoffing quietly to himself Tsukutane finally looked away, tempted no more to taunt the situation. She had always carried that trait with her, even when he'd first met her.

Kain stared at Mitsuki a moment longer, and although he appeared unfazed by his outlook on Tsukutane, he finally sighed in defeat, deciding to withdraw his animosity for the moment. "Let's get to class then." He glanced briefly at Tsukutane standing placidly to the side, who appeared preoccupied by staring outside one of the wall length windows. "You too," he added gruffly before starting down the stair case.

As Kain made his way down, ruffling his hair in exasperation and mumbling something incoherent beneath his breath, Mitsuki appeared in front of Tsukutane, her hands held out apologetically before her. The clip and the tie, which still remained unfashioned at his neck, lay in her outstretched palms. Her eyes fluttered to him, then looked away, almost shyly.

"Kain-senpai helped with my bow," she admitted, half embarrassed, "but when we get to class, I can try my best to put it on..."

Caught off guard by her offer, Tsukutane's brows drew up in slight surprise at Mitsuki's willingness. He thought she'd forgotten. With a gentle smile he retrieved the items from her, pressing her hands close. "You've done enough, Mitsuki."

* * *

**A/N** : As I was writing this chapter, I began to realize that Tsukutane was starting to remind me of someone with an extremely similar character - a particular eccentric blond haired, blue eyed vampire to be exact. I will do my _best_ to branch Tsukutane's personality from Aidou's - we don't need two in this story. The same goes with Mitsuki - we can't have two Yuukis'.


	6. Chapter 6

6. Encounters

For the third time since they'd departed from the Moon dormitories Mitsuki found herself quickening her footsteps as Kain, leading them down a long, archaic styled bridge, lengthened his stride once more. The additional inch and half, though a minor change in length, made all the difference in the world as Mitsuki, remaining nearly a foot shorter than Kain, was forced into a brisk pace. Other than the sound of their hollow footsteps echoing along the cement, mingled with Mitsuki's short breaths, the trio remained otherwise silent. Despite Kain's efforts to get them to class on time, the long delays had cost him precious minutes and she'd become personally aware of his anxiety when he had reached over and nearly trapped her skirt between the door and the frame after slamming it behind her in haste.

"I'll be impressed if we can catch even the last bit of class," she had heard him mutter as he ushered them from the building with a curt sweep of his hand.

As they continued along Mitsuki watched him in concern, noticing the stiff upset in his shoulders. Though she understood the significance behind attending school, she questioned why Kain's attitude was so wrought with worry, his eyebrows narrowed in set determination. Escorting her to class had transformed into more of a duty than simple good will and Mitsuki could only wonder who was the one responsible for Kain's sullen attitude.

Nimble fingers slipped beneath her chin from behind and the warm touch cut through her puzzlement as Tsukutane appeared by her side. He didn't seem aware of the change in pace as his long legs maintained him easily along, and even if he had noticed, there was no sign that it bothered him. "Let me see for a moment – ah, no. Keep walking," he instructed, forcing her head gently to the side when she began to turn to him in question. His voice sounded thoughtful, like he were speaking more to himself. "I just have to check something." Awkwardly, Mitsuki did as she was told, watching Tsukutane stare at something fixedly on her person when she noticed something large loom out of the corner of her eye. Though it was still some distance away, Mitsuki was able to recognize what she presumed to be Cross Academy, the outline of its impressive structure etched by the rising moon. She moved her head just as Tsukutane released her and gazed at the building in wonderment.

The sheer size of it was almost overwhelming as Mitsuki let her eyes wander along the classic Gothic masonry. Towering columns and spirals surrounded the building, the stonework appearing black and foreboding as it reached high into the twilight. Delicate archways framed the floor to ceiling windows along each of the floors, allowing spectators from the inside a view of the expansive campus. As they continued to approach the school Mitsuki managed to pick out the slight figures of students as they passed along the translucent glass, their slender outlines ghosting in and out of view.

Her spectacle was abruptly cut short, Tsukutane tugging at the hem of her sleeve, as Kain led them beneath a small bell tower, ignoring the dour looking figure seated inside who, upon their arrival, began to tally their entrance on a pile of documents. The dark hood of his cloak hid his face from view and even when Mitsuki threw him a wandering gaze as they passed, he stooped lower, avoiding any chance of exposure.

When they arrived on the other side Mitsuki saw just how close they were to class and her chest tightened, anxious. Beside her Tsukutane was running a hand down the front of his uniform with a satisfied smile. Whatever he'd compared on her uniform to his had apparently pleased him.

"All set," he announced with a sigh and then looked at her, throwing his hands out in flourish, "I look like a complete student now." Contrast to Kain's rigid demeanor and Mitsuki's own nervousness, Tsukutane appeared completely relaxed, almost unconcerned about the prospects of school. His attitude was more suited for a picnic set on the brightest of days - not to a class that was completely foreign to them. The most pressing concern of his had arrived as a piece of metal and a streak of red silk, which, after a moment of fixed concentration, was now the tie resting comfortably beneath his chin.

When he received nothing more than a small smile from Mitsuki, his eyes lost some of their animation and flicked away to rest on the row of torches lined along the bridge's interior walls ."The amount of effort we put into trying to appear human always amazes me," Tsukutane commented to himself, noting the dull line of firelight. "How...amusing." In a sweeping gesture that spoke of no subtly, he waved a hand low in the air, his fingers curling smoothly toward him as if he could pull the fire to his breast. The wind stilled and about them came the delicate sound of breaking crystal, and suddenly the column of torch lights went out, casting the right side of the bridge into darkness.

The disturbance seemed to break Kain of his demanding pace as he stopped and turned to the pair. "Hey," he began but Mitsuki, aware Tsukutane's actions, was already resting a warning hand along his arm.

"Those are not intended for us," she insisted softly. "There might be Day time students roaming about."

He spared a brief smile toward the results of his actions, then looked at her. "At this hour, Mitsuki?" he replied calmly, turning a doubtful eye to her. "It's against protocol." Tsukutane moved his hand again, ready to douse the other side. He got halfway through the same motion, eying the left side of the bridge, when a voice cut through the air, halting Tsukutane's hand midway.

"So is using your powers on school ground unless instructed otherwise," it said, and then with deliberate force it added, "Kain."

The addressed vampire, unable to fully restrain the look of dismay that crossed his face as he recognized the voice, cast his eyes toward the exhausted torch lights. Immediately the wicks burned to life and the bridge returned to a balanced lighting, revealing two figures standing opposite the small group.

Mitsuki's breath caught as Kaname seeped into view, his dark eyes regarding them in solemn silence. The sight of him suddenly made Mitsuki greatly aware that, once again, she had no recollection of this morning's events nor of those in the previous nights. What had happened? It felt like a dim fog blocked any chance of recalling any memories before her introductions to Kain. Dimly, she remembered seeing Kaname atop a dully lit dais, a girl with honest brown eyes beside him, but when she tried to remember anything past that the images flooded together into one undistinguished blur that left her dizzy. Faint screams touched her mind, startling her.

It was only after a moment did she notice Ichijou standing behind Kaname, a slim clip board clasped to himself. It seemed he had been watching her, and when he finally caught her eye he gave her a slight smile. Mitsuki tilted her head in response - had there been a light of worry in his gaze, or had she been imagining it?

Tsukutane, unacquainted to either of them, lowered his hand slowly.

A tight breath drawn in by Kain caught Mitsuki's attention as she glanced at him. Though he held himself well, she saw how rigid his form had gone, every muscle in his body tight with tension. Occasionally his hands flexed into slow fists, tensing and relaxing methodically, as if the gesture calmed him. Comprehension filled her face as she realized who had been the reason for Kain's adamant behavior.

Realizing the depths of his mistake, Kain, with a sense of dread, stepped forward uneasily, eyes stealing to the floor to avoid Kaname's direct gaze. "Dorm Leader Kuran…" he began.

"You're late," the Pureblood stated flatly and the taller vampire visibly withdrew from the reprimand in his voice. "The second half of class is nearly over." Even though the volume of his voice was in speaking measures, it almost seemed to whip out and strike at Kain, the vicious lash forcing the other vampire to bend his head in submission. Tension fell on the vampires as Kaname glowered at Kain without remorse; though no breeze passed through, the flames beside them wavered unsteadily in unison, betraying the nerves of the condemned vampire. Ichijou, remaining silent, spared a remorseful gaze at his classmate while Tsukutane appeared to be measuring the pair in his own quiet thoughts. Then Mitsuki stepped forward.

"There was a delay."

Startled by her own words, she pressed the back of one hand to her mouth in disbelief, as if she could draw the outburst back in. But Kaname was already looking at her, and the imposing gaze forced her to continue. "I forgot my books upstairs," she managed to say, "and Kain-senpai went to retrieve them..." _And a shadow, a frightening shadow_.

She faltered at the small voice in her head and her words hung still in the air, suddenly seized by the intense look that entered Kaname's face. It was almost if he'd caught the following thought. Something tiny fluttered past him then, numbing her initial fear. Its soft pink hue was almost indiscernible even to her enhanced vision as Mitsuki, with some mild fascination, watched a single cherry blossom petal caress his cheek. No one seemed to notice the intrusion except her - and then, as it ebbed into nonexistence, she realized why.

The petal was a part of her past.

Something tugged inside her chest at the faint recognition, distracting her enough to finally look away from Kaname. Dully, she realized someone was speaking and pulling out of her reverie she turned to the voice. She didn't know at what time Kaname had shifted his gaze away.

"...partially my fault," Tsukutane was saying. Having remained decidedly unresponsive till now, he had a hand held up, the gesture nonchalant as if to signify his presence. "I encouraged for part of the delay when I ran into these two," he admitted. His luminescent green gaze roamed over the pair in curiosity as he spoke, and when he locked eyes with Kaname, he fought a wry twitch of amusement from surfacing. Tsukutane recognized him for what he was automatically.

Shaping his lips into a small 'O' of acknowledgment, he bent low at the waist briefly and then straightened. "I did not know one of such caliber stood before me," he mused, "Kaname Kuran." Although he had never met him in person nor seen a picture of Kaname Kuran, Tsukutane had been informed well enough before his arrival at Cross Academy to distinguish the vampire as a Pureblood. More specifically, Tsukutane had grown increasingly aware of the cold pressure surrounding him the instant the two had appeared; even now he could feel the strange fingers of power probing the surface of his skin, as if it were trying to measure the extent of his existence. The metaphysical touch was not the most pleasant of experiences and it made his lips tighten into a humorless grin.

The pressure tightened, irked by Tsukutane's expression.

"Kaname." It was Ichijou, stepping forward and laying a light hand on his companion. As the only one who had escaped the attention of the dogmatic Pureblood, Ichijou appeared mildly relaxed as he motioned with his free hand, the clip board still in possession. "Kain brought her as you asked," he reasoned gently, and briefly his gaze settled on Tsukutane before flicking away. "Along with another student." Kaname's eyes shifted to the blond vampire, and Ichijou felt him stiffen ever so slightly beneath his fingers. Then with a soft exhale audible only to Ichijou, he relaxed and Tsukutane felt the power slid from him like a receding wave.

Ichijou turned his attention to Kain, still standing somewhat stiffly with the leather texts in a steely grip. "Akatsuki-kun," Ichijou said as Kaname shrugged his hand away, "you can head to class now and catch what you can. I'll take Mitsuki's books." With a look of surprise that he quickly dismissed, Kain approached the blond Noble blood, handing over the bound books in slight gratification.

"Thank you." Ichijou smiled as Kain passed but whether it was due to the books or for taking care of his cousin or both, he didn't know, and gave a small nod of assurance. The last thing Mitsuki saw of Kain as he continued ahead was him lifting a large hand to scratch at his unruly, bright curls, his shoulders heaving with relief as the shadows took him.

Tsukutane was staring in the direction Kain had disappeared in, bending a long index finger and pressing it to his bottom lip. "He was starting to grow on me," he mused thoughtfully, mouth quirked to the side in a playful jest. Then his eyes, which were bright despite the dim lighting, flashed to Mitsuki. "Should we follow?" he asked and started after Kain but Ichijou held a hand before him, halting his progress of five steps.

"Unlike my cousin standing unobtrusively behind you, I'm afraid you're not a familiar face around here," the Noble blood observed lightly. "I have some questions for you, if you may." Ichijou beckoned for him to stand to the side, to which Tsukutane obliged after only a short pause. Despite Ichijou's calm proposition, Tsukutane detected something forced in his voice, something noticeably dark that so belied his pleasant nature it drew him short in partial confusion. Tsukutane looked to Mitsuki in question but found himself gazing at the backside of the Pureblood; he hadn' t even noticed Kaname move.

Mitsuki, who had been about to follow after Tsukutane, was abruptly pulled short in surprise when Kaname swept in front of her, intercepting himself between her and Tsukutane. "Kaname-senpai...?" she whispered, watching as he brushed a hand to the side, a motion that asked her to follow.

"I'll escort you the rest of the way, Mitsuki," he murmured in reply to her distant whisper. "It would be rude to leave a lady by herself, unattended." She hesitated, staring at him with bewildered eyes, and only after a slight nod did she start forward, gliding by Tsukutane. She tried catching his eye but Kaname, once more, interposed himself fluidly in the way, a dark wall that blocked any chance of reaching him. When she opened her mouth to protest, he touched a hand to the small of her back and obediently her eyes straightened onto the unfamiliar path before her, the thoughts sliding from her suddenly hollow mind like water.

As Kaname guided her along Mitsuki felt the velvety caress of a petal brush skirt across her cheek, and she bent her head and tried not to cry.

* * *

While Ichijou stood before him, Tsukutane reigned in his feelings of disbelief and bitterness, carefully masking his confusion into an expression of apathy as he watched Mitsuki and Kaname pass in silence. He had a distinct notion that there was a greater reason for Kaname's desire to attend Mitsuki's side, as if he'been waiting patiently to gain a moment of privacy with her. It wasn' t until the two had disappeared did Ichijou drop his hand, Tsukutane turning aside his head, his mouth working like he'd tasted something sour.

When he raised his eyes it was to find Ichijou advancing toward him, closing the distance that separated them, and although the pace appeared placate and restrained, Tsukutane noticed the hard glint in the Noble blood's eyes. _'Seems like my imagination was wrong,'_ Tsukutane determined with grim satisfaction as Ichijou stopped before him.

His voice was low and demanding, contrasting his mild looking appearance that seemed otherwise relaxed aside from the tightness in his jaw. "Why have you returned to Mitsuki, Tsukutane Koegi?"

* * *

**A/N : **I've added pictures of Mitsuki and Tsukutane on my profile. Mitsuki is spot on but I have to work on Tsukutane; I couldn't get his eyes right so I looked at a picture of Ikuto Tsukiyomi from Shugo Chara as a reference. The similarity in the eye shape bothers me so I'll have to work on that more. I apologize for the lack in shade and color; I've never been able to master those techniques. *sigh*


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